(For G11)

Schools Division of Parañaque City

Humanities and Social Sciences
Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems

FIRST QUARTER

Week Seven
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
OF MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS

Learning Competencies (Essential Competencies)

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able tocompare and contrast
the uniqueness and similarities of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Objectives

At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to:

1. Identify the uniqueness and similarities of Judaism, Christianity and Islam;

2. Provide evidences that Judaism, Christianity and Islam share common roots
from Patriarch Abraham;
3. Justify that Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as monotheistic religions, have
largely influenced the world today.

Let’s Recall

Word Hunt!

DIRECTIONS: Find ten (10) words that are related to Islam. Write your answer on
your answer Sheet.

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 S A W M U S K I S T

Z I R A P Z A K A T

A R I N A J O P E R

H A S O Y L I M E A

A M U S L I M E N L

J I R D O T S C Z L

J T T S A B C C W A

E A R H Q U R A N H

B F X A K O R R I A

C G E H U I Z A N M

L O S A D A T A C O

K Q U D A L V A R O

S A L A T L O R E N

A L T H E R N J A Y

W S A N G K A D I E

N U M U H A M M A D

Let’s Understand

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OFJUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY AND

ISLAM

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are the three monotheistic religions and
considered also as Abrahamic religions because these religions clearly trace their
common roots from the Patriarch Abraham. They are all originated from a region, we
now call Southwest Asia. They are also called Semitic religions since they came from an
area where people speak the Semitic languages, particularly Hebrew, Aramaic, and
Arabic. Judaism originated from a land called Canaan; Christianity began in Palestine
while Islam developed in Arabia. They share commonalities in certain beliefs such as

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belief in the same Patriarch and other prophets; angels as messengers of God; heaven
and hell; and judgment day, among others.

Origin

The three monotheistic religions trace their origins to Abraham, but they diverged
with regard to the main prophet they acknowledged. Judaism traced back to the time of
Moses, who led the Hebrews back to Canaan, and who received the Law from Yahweh.
Christianity developed from Jesus Christ’s teachings, who granted salvation through
His death on the cross. Islam emerged from Muhammad to whom Allah revealed.

The holy place for the Jews is Canaan, which was the land promised to Abraham
by Yahweh. They returned to the place after several exiles and migrations. Eventually,
they established Israel as a nation, and Israel had been the most Jewish-populated
country in the world.

Since Christianity developed from Judaism, they also venerated Jerusalem

because it is where the Temple was, and where Jesus was sentenced to death. But with
the development of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Catholic
Church, the Western Empire had its capital in Rome, and there the Pope, the leader of
the Church has stayed.

Muslims used to pray facing Jerusalem but after a particular revelation to

Muhammad, they have prayed facing Mecca ever since. Mecca was the place where
Muhammad had his first followers, and after their exile to Medina, they returned to
Mecca to establish Islam as religion.

Sacred Text

All three religions hold their sacred scripture in high regard because most part of
the scripture serves as the basis of their faith. Jews have the Hebrew Bible but the
most important perhaps to the uniqueness of their religion is the Torah which chronicles
the laws laid down by Moses from Yahweh. The Torah for them is their covenant with
Yahweh.

On the other hand, Christians view the Bible more about its history because they
acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, thus, salvation history is important. This is
highlighted in the Gospels of the New Testament. The evangelizations of the disciples
are highlighted in the Acts and Epistles. While the Old Testament, most of which is the
Hebrew Bible of the Jews, is included in the Christian Bible because part of their history
comes from the Jews. It is the New Testament that distinguished Christianity from
Judaism.

It is in Islam perhaps that the sacred text is most integrated in the lives of the
followers. The Arabic character in the Qur’an as used to teach Muslim children to read
and write. It is part of their lives to follow the practices as detailed in the Qur’an.

Core Beliefs

These three religions are monotheistic religions because they believe in one God.
However, the Jews and Muslims are more similar to each other because they believe in
the oneness of the substance and form of God, whereas Christians believe in the Triune
God: there is one God but three divine persons: the Father, the Son,Jesus Christ and
the Holy Spirit. Christians believe that Jesus is both human and divine and He is one

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 with God the Father. While Jews and Muslims acknowledge Jesus as an important
prophet, they reject His divinity because that would contradict their belief in one God.

The main beliefs of Christianity can be summarized in their creed, where they
profess their belief in the Holy Trinity. The main tenets of Islam, on the other hand, can
be found in their Five Pillars. However, Judaism never had an official creed perhaps due
to their diasporic history.

Primary Practices

The religions are primarily inherited. The children of the Jews become Jews, the
children of the Christians become Christians and the children of Muslims become
Muslims. However, there are rites of initiation that vary across the religions. For
Judaism, children at the age of 12 become officially Jews. For Christianity, particularly
the Catholics, infants are baptized into the religion. Other forms of Christianity have their
baptism at an adult age.

The main feasts also vary across the religions because of their distinct histories.
The Jews celebrate Passover to commemorate their liberation from Egypt while
Christians celebrate the birth and the resurrection of Jesus during Christmas and
Easter respectively. The Muslims celebrate Ramadan for a month, when Allah first
revealed to Muhammad.

Divisions

In terms of number, Christianity is the biggest religion in the world, and Islam is the
second. Judaism does not have a relatively large number of followers.

Christianity is most populous primarily because it has several divisions, each of

which has a large number of followers. The three main divisions are the Roman Catholics,
developing from the Western Roman empire; the Orthodox, from the Eastern Roman
empire; and the Protestants, who collectively emerged from the Reformation. Protestants
are further divided according to their leader: Lutheranism are followers of Martin Luther,
Calvinism of John Calvin, and the Anglican Church established in England by Henry XVIII.

Islam’s main divisions rose from a matter of disagreement over who succeeds
Muhammad. The Shiites believed that succession must be hereditary. The Sunnis pay
more attention to tradition.

The divisions within Judaism are primarily caused by their development after being
scattered. The Orthodox try to adhere to the traditional laws in the Torah, but the
Reformists allow themselves to be integrated in the European culture because they
considered some laws to be outdated. The Conservatives try to reconcile these two
factions; they acknowledge that change is necessary but they carefully select which laws
to follow and which must be changed.

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 Let’s Apply
Venn Diagram

DIRECTIONS: Complete the Venn Diagram below by writing down one (1) difference of
each religion and two (2) similarities of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.Write the answers
on youranswer sheet.

JUDAISM

CHRISTIANITY ISLAM

Similarities Difference
1. __________ 3. __________
2. __________ 4. __________

5. __________

Let’s Analyze
Comparative Analysis

DIRECTIONS:Based on the above concepts, fill out each column with information
about the three monotheistic religions. Write your answer on your Answer Sheet.

JUDAISM CHRISTIANITY ISLAM

Belief in God 1. 2. 3.

Founder 4. 5. 6.

Holy Place 7. 8. 9.

Sacred Text 10. 11. 12.

13. 16. 19.

Divisions 14. 17. 20.

15 18.

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 Let’s Create

Goal: To create a HANDWRITTEN BROCHURE on the similarities and differences

of the three monotheistic religions.

Role: A student illustrator.

Audience: Classmates, parents and teacher.

Situation: Learners are having confusion in comparing and contrasting Judaism,

Christianity and Islam religions.

Product Performance:A handwritten brochure that illustrates three (3) similarities and
three (3) differences of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Standard: Follow the guide in creating brochure.

Guide in creating Handwritten Brochure:

1. Use a legal-size bond paper.
2. Fold it into three in a landscape orientation.
3. Lay out by writing the similarities and differences of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
as the content of your brochure.
4. Add style to your brochure by putting designs.
5. Indicate your full name, the topic title and the module number on the front cover of
your brochure.

Follow the rubrics for your reference.

Handwritten Brochure Rubrics
Excellent Good Decent Score
Standard
(15) (10) (5)
Three (3) Two (2) similarities Only one (1)
similarities and and two (2) similarity and one (1)
three (3) differences differences are difference are
Content
are presented about presented about the presented about the
the three (3) three (3) religions three (3) religions
religions
The brochure is The brochure is The brochure is
folded into three (3), folded into three (3), folded into three (3),
Layout& in landscape in landscape in landscape
Design orientation and with orientation and with orientation but with
three (3) or more one (1) or two (2) no colored design.
colored designs. colored designs.
Total

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 Let’s Try

Multiple Choice

DIRECTIONS:Choose the letter of the best answer and write your answer on a piece of
short bond paper as your answer sheet.

__________1. Where can you find the main tenets of the Islam religion?
A. Hadith C. Shariah
B. Five Pillars D. Nicene Creed
__________2. Who is referring to God, the Son in the Holy Trinity of Christianity religion?
A. Moses C. Abraham
B. Muhammad D. Jesus Christ
__________3. Which is the biggest religion in the world in terms of number of followers or
adherents?
A. Islam C. Christianity
B. Judaism D. Theravada Buddhism
__________4. Why are the Jews celebrating Passover?
A. To commemorate the liberation from Egypt.
B. To commemorate the deliverance from Haman.
C. To commemorate the revelation of God to Moses.
D. To celebrate atonement for the sins of the previous year.

___________5. Which is the basis of faith?

A. Diary C. Scripture
B. Album D. Almanacs
___________6. Which could BEST explain why Judaism, Christianity and Islam are
considered as monotheistic religions?
A. They all believe in one God.
B. They all have the same belief in the form of God.
C. They all have the same belief in the substance of God.
D. They all believe in one God but with three divine persons.
___________7.Which is the reason why Judaism, Christianity and Islam are called
Abrahamic religions?
I. They originate from the place of Abraham.
II. They believe that their founder is Abraham.
III. They trace their common roots from the Patriarch Abraham.
IV. They use the Ten Commandments given by God to Abraham.

A. I & IV C. I only
B. II only D. III only

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___________8.Which statements are TRUE about Judaism,Christianityand Islam religions?
I. They are Semitic religions.
II. They are Dharmic religions.
III. They are Abrahamic religions.
IV. They are monotheistic religions.

A. I & II C. I, III & IV

B. I, II & III D. II, III & IV
__________9. Which describe the beliefs of Judaism, Christianity and Islam religions?
I. The main tenets of Islam can be found in their Five Pillars.
II. Judaism never had an official creed to summarize its beliefs.
III. These religions express their beliefs in the Ten Commandments.
IV. The main beliefs of Christianity can be summarized in their creed.

A. I only C. I, II & III

B. I, II & IV D. II, III & IV
__________10. Which are TRUE about theJudaism, Christianity and Islam religions?
I. Islam emerged from Muhammad to whom Allah revealed.
II. These three religions traced back to the time of the Israelites.
III. Judaism traced back to the time of Moses, who received the Law from
Yahweh.
IV. Christianity developed from Jesus Christ’s teachings, who granted
salvation through His death on the cross.

A. I & II C. I, II & III

B. I & III D. I, III & IV